Need some DMV and California law related advice.

[Drazzil]

Surprisingly its not for me. My mother decided to sell her car to someone who sold it to someone else. From what I understand, the person who sold my mothers car to someone else completed the necessary paperwork to transfer it to someone else.

Now heres where things get funny. From what I am told, the person my mom sold the car to sold the car to someone else, and the DMV lost or misplaced the transfer of liability giving the third parties information. And of course, my mother, being the flaming idiot that she is, didnt keep the copy. So now she lost the copy of the transfer of liability and the DMV keeps sending her bills for tickets and delinquient registration notices.

My mother does however have a signed contract saying that she sold it to the first person who sold it.

The person who she sold the car to told her to complete a transfer to liability and leave it blank, which didn't work. The DMV is telling her to complete a transfer of liability and put the first parties name down as she doesent know who the second party is.

Can anyone who knows California law tell me what I should tell my dingbat of a mother to do?

[Enough]

Please tell me that she at least removed her plates off of the car?

[Drazzil]

Nope.

Like I said, shes an idiot.

[Drazzil]

Still looking for advice folks.

[jpinard]

She didn't take her license plate off?  Umm, she's screwed.  Sounds like she'll need a lawyer.

[ericb]

Get a lawyer and do it quick.  Fines and penalties from the DMV add up very quickly, never go away and can prevent her from getting another car, her license or insurance.

[SirReal]

A variant on this is actively abused in Sweden.
If the buyer leaves incorrect personal information to the seller, the seller remains responsible for tickets etc. There is no known way to get out of that situation...